


a constellation to stir my heart

by tenworms



Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, First Kiss, Fluff, Other, grizzop is a terrible wingman but it all works out in the end, im so sorry for the summary, its been well over a week & i still cant think of anything better, let cel swear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 16:55:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24350140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tenworms/pseuds/tenworms
Summary: They were a barista. She was a busy student working at the station's medbay. Do I need to make it any more obvious?
Relationships: Azu/Celiquilliton "Cel" Sidebottom, minor cel & grizzop
Comments: 12
Kudos: 30





	a constellation to stir my heart

**Author's Note:**

> title from fake mona lisa by carly rae jepsen!! i don't even think of it as a lovepotion song really i just have a disease that makes me relate crj lyrics to rq podcasts

Azu’s not been on the station for long. It’s a work-study transfer, part of her continued training as a medic, and the busy medbay is a new challenge. The business of the station in general is new as well. She’d lived planetside before this, in a farming village: pretty much everything about this environment is new to her. At least there’s still artificial gravity. 

The bustle of people in the corridors and larger recreation areas is novel, too. Azu’s quite enjoying that aspect of the transfer. She’s always loved people, and the people here are lovely. 

She’s thinking of stopping by a coffee shop this morning before her shift: she’s ahead of schedule, and she could really use something warm. As much as the station is friendly and inviting, it’s still a cold metal bubble in the depths of space. Even the soft comfort of potted plants dotted about the station can’t quite soothe the ache for real, true ground beneath her feet. A good beverage helps. 

So when she finds herself at Alchemist’s Brew, she’s already itching for something sweet and comforting. 

Even though the coffee shop is built into a standard retail cubby, it feels remarkably cozy. The walls are painted dark green, and the density of potted plants feels unnaturally concentrated. Azu spots a spiderplant that she’s pretty sure she saw in the corridor to crew quarters her first day here. The exposed pipework is painted shiny chrome and brass, except for one pipe that leads to the back wall behind the front counter. There’s one streak of sickly-looking paint on it. Taped to the wall is a small note that says, in looping handwriting, “DO NOT PAINT!!!”. And then, on another scrap of paper: “HOT!!!! DANGER OF OFFGASSING!” Finally, on a third paper underneath: a little smiley face, and a much neater version of the same writing that reads “Don’t worry! All safe! Just don’t touch! Thank you!”

Azu does not touch the pipe. 

Instead, she waits in line to order, reading the extensive blackboard menu above the counter. There’s a whole section labelled “Experimental!”. It’s full of chalk smudges and places where drink ideas have clearly been rubbed out. Some of the descriptions sound significantly better than others. By the time it’s her turn to order, Azu’s still not really decided.

“Hey!” says the barista, and Azu tears her eyes away from the words “pretzel coffee” on the menu. “What can I get you?”

Time freezes. Azu hears her heartbeat. The barista is… well, the only word for it is gorgeous. They’re tall and freckled, with spiky hair that still stands up despite the artificial gravity, and their grin is broad and slightly lopsided. They make their barista’s apron look cute, somehow. They look full of energy: everything about their demeanor screams of someone who sincerely loves their life. Their nametag reads “Cel!” in that same looping handwriting.

“Oh!” says Azu, feeling a bit like she’s melting into a puddle on the floor. “I— er.” She can feel her face getting warm and tries to will it to stop. She has a strict moral policy against flirting with someone while they’re working.

Cel leans forward, resting their elbow on the counter and resting their head in their hand. “I get that a lot,” they say. “I know the menu and stuff can be a bit overwhelming. What’d you come in here looking for? That’s usually a good place to start. Are you new here?” They speak quickly, so it doesn’t feel like a lot when Azu might have otherwise started to feel self conscious about holding up the line. There’s not anyone waiting behind her anyway, luckily.

“I am new here,” Azu says. “And I am not sure what I’d like. I think I came in here for— something grounding? A nice tea, maybe.”

Cel grins. “Ha, grounding? Like coffee grounds? Because this is a coffee shop? But you’re getting tea. Hmmm.” They scrunch up their face as they talk, drumming their fingers on the counter. “The pun still applies, maybe? Wait, do you still want tea?” 

Azu can’t help but smile back. “Yes, please,” she says.

“What kind?” says Cel. “It’s okay if you don’t know— I know the menu is a lot— I can surprise you if you want. Do you have any dietary restrictions?” 

“Surprise me,” says Azu, instead of looking back at the overwhelmingly long list of tea blends. “Also, I am allergic to chocolate.” The lactose intolerance doesn’t feel relevant— she always takes a pill before eating anything with milk.

For the briefest moment, Cel looks desperately sad. They do amazing puppy eyes for someone that tall and lanky. “Ouch, that’s rough. It’s okay, buddy, I— wait, what’s your name?” they call, already moving to get a cup and a marker. 

“Azu,” says Azu.

“Cool name! Don’t worry, Azu, not gonna put any chocolate in your tea!” says Cel, dropping the cup to do finger guns. Azu can’t help but grin broadly.

Azu pays and moves to the pickup counter, and Cel gets to work making the drink, leaving a short man whose nametag reads GRIZZOP to take over the register. He grumbles and mutters something to Cel, who sticks their tongue out at him for a moment before going back to work on the tea.

Azu watches the confidence in Cel’s movements, their capable hands, the long fingers. The way they move doesn’t seem like it should be called elegant, but their movements are quick and deliberate. Everything they do feels comfortable and intentional. Sometimes they reach up and Azu can see the lithe lines of the muscles in their arms and torso. It’s… well. Azu is being very respectful about it.

The tea finishes brewing, and Cel slides over to pass it to Azu. “Try it!” they say. “Tell me what you think! I think I added enough sugar? But let me know if it’s good!“ They bounce on the soles of their feet.

“Thank you,” says Azu, and very carefully doesn’t touch Cel’s hand when she picks up the cup to take a sip. 

Her eyebrows raise almost involuntarily— she’d been expecting something fruity just from the ingredients she’d seen Cel use, but the flavor is much more complex than she’d thought it would be. It’s sweet and fresh, but tart enough so as not to be sickly. The bitter undertone of actual tea hits last, the sort of bitterness that feels refreshing rather than overbrewed. It tastes like summer. 

“This is— wow. This is amazing,” she says, honestly. She takes another sip. 

Cel beams. “I’m so glad you like it! Does it need anything? More sweetener?”

“It’s perfect,” says Azu. Every time she tastes it, she notices a new layer of flavor. 

Cel looks like they’re biting their lip to keep smile from getting even wider. “Cool! Awesome! Okay! So— I’ll just—“ they say, pointing towards Grizzop at the register, already half turned around.

“Bye,” says Azu, smiling shyly. 

As she leaves, she hears Grizzop’s voice ask well what was all that about, and then, distinctly, a long sigh, followed by Cel saying (in a tone that Azu, if she had to guess, might describe as dreamy): “Oh gods, she was just so—“ 

Azu leaves the coffee shop, a thrill of warmth curling through her body that’s not just because of the tea. 

—

Azu comes back to Alchemist’s Brew every morning before her shift after that. Cel always has some new drink for her to try, and they’re always good, often unexpectedly so. (The pretzel coffee’d actually had a really comforting toasty, nutty flavor.) Cel is getting good at guessing Azu’s beverage tastes, too. The third drink they’d made for her, iced green tea with vanilla and lemon, had been delicious. But by something in Azu’s (positive!) reaction Cel’d somehow figured out that Azu usually preferred warm, sweet, and rich flavors, because that was the only iced drink Cel’d made for her. Cel’s face always lights up when Azu comes in, too, she thinks. 

On the day before Azu’s second day off from work, she thinks Cel practically explodes when they see her. There’s sudden burst of panicked energy from behind the counter where they’re taking someone’s order. Azu sees them frantically whisper something to Grizzop, who rolls his eyes exaggeratedly and pushes Cel out of the way to take their place at the counter. As Azu makes her way over, Cel waves at her, then dashes into the back room. Azu stops, but Cel’s back out pretty much immediately. They’re holding a jar. They gesture her over to the pickup counter. 

“Hi,” they say. They look uncharacteristically shy, playing with the lid of the jar instead of looking at Azu. 

“Hi, Cel,” says Azu. 

Behind Cel’s back, Grizzop makes eye contact with Azu and rolls his eyes. There’s a small scuffling noise as— Azu assumes— Grizzop kicks Cel behind the counter. Cel turns around for a moment to shoot him a look. Azu would be trying not to laugh, but her heart is beating too hard. 

Cel turns back around and smiles, wobbly but genuine, at Azu. “So, I, um,” they begin. “So I do a lot of culinary experimenting? I’m sure you’ve noticed, I mean it comes along with the job, I just like seeing what I can make? And sometimes I dabble in making food replacements? And, y’know, you said you’re allergic to chocolate, and that makes me so sad because chocolate seems like something you’d like. So I made you this. It doesn’t have any of the same proteins as chocolate so it’s totally safe for you to eat. I’m still figuring out the texture, but the taste is the same. And I wanted to make hot chocolate for you anyway.” By the end, Cel’s regained their confidence, setting down the jar to gesture with their hands. 

Azu’s jaw is hanging open. It takes a moment of effort to get her voice to work. “Cel, I—“ 

“It’s okay if you don’t want any!” Cel says quickly. “I totally get it if you don’t wanna try it. I used to be allergic to peanuts, but then I stopped being allergic, but I still hate eating peanuts because, like, it still kinda feels like eating poison? So if it freaks you out I don’t mind! Really! It’s perfectly understandable! I can just make you a, a, a cinnamon chai or something, I think we have some smoky Russian caravan tea—“ 

“Cel,” says Azu, and Cel stops talking. 

Azu feels like she’s buzzing. The idea that Cel’d made this for her, with her in mind— that Cel thinks of her while she’s not there just as Azu thinks of Cel whenever station maintenance replaces one of Cel’s stolen potted plants— it feels big and heavy and sweet. “My chocolate allergy wasn’t always as bad as it is now,” she says. “I used to love it as a child, even though it made me ill. But then it got worse and I had to stop. I’d—“ she feels herself starting to smile “—I’d love to taste it again.” 

“You would?” Cel says in a very small voice, clutching the jar again. 

“I would,” says Azu, grinning broadly now. “It means a lot to me that you would make something like this for me. Thank you.” Her voice sounds soft, even to her own ears. 

“I was just— I was just tinkering, really,” says Cel, but they look pleased. 

“It means more to me than just that,” Azu says. She bites her lip.

Cel looks at her, open-mouthed. “Oh,” they say. “Well. I’m going to go make you that not-chocolate now. On the house.”

Azu laughs. “A not-chocolate! I like it.”

They grin. Cel goes and prepares it, shooting Grizzop a double thumbs up when they think Azu’s not looking. Grizzop nods and claps Cel on the back. He’s so much shorter that the angles are weird and he has to half-stretch up to be able to reach Cel’s shoulder blades. It’s very endearing: Azu loves their friendship, or what little snippets she’s seen of it in her morning visits. 

Azu likes the little concentrated furrow of Cel’s brow when they measure out the exact amount of sugar. She likes the way they stir, the switching back and forth from clockwise to counterclockwise as caprice demands. She likes Cel, really, and it makes her happy— in a deep, indulgent way, the feeling of being cared for— that Cel is doing this for her.

Cel slides the finished not-chocolate across the counter. They’ve left the lid off so Azu can see the sprinkling of cinnamon adorning the whipped cream. “A not-chocolate, just for you,” they say, going a little pink. 

“Thank you, Cel,” Azu says, softly. Cel’s eyes are really pretty, she thinks.

Cel coughs and breaks eye contact. “Well? Try it!” they say.

Azu laughs. “All right,” she says. She takes a sip.

The taste is— every childhood memory of eating chocolate comes flooding back immediately. It tastes like sitting at the kitchen table, stealing her brothers’ dessert. It tastes like being under the open sky. It tastes like family get-togethers and celebrations. It tastes like a piece of home she didn’t know she’d missed.

Azu puts the cup down, a bit shaky. “Oh,” she says. She realizes there’s tears in her eyes because Cel’s face looks warped through them. She laughs and wipes them away. “Wow. I had… forgotten how that tastes.”

“Is it— are you okay?” Cel says anxiously. 

“I’m— I’m all right, Cel. I… thank you for this,” Azu says, and suddenly Cel’s arms are around her from over the counter. 

The angle is awkward, but it’s… weirdly nice. They’ve chatted enough that Cel doesn’t feel like a stranger, and Azu is always down for physical affection anyway. Her arms come up tentatively to hold Cel’s upper back.

The hug ends. Azu wipes away another tear and takes another sip. “This is fantastic,” she says.

Cel lights up. “You know, the secret’s in the vanilla. It’s about the vanilla and the little pinch of salt— that’s what really brings out the flavor.”

Azu nods. “I think I can taste the vanilla,” she says.

“The perfumey note?” Cel says, beaming. 

Azu nods again. “It’s lovely,” she says.

“Thank you!” says Cel. 

There is a beat of silence as Azu sips.

“Hey, when’s your next day off?” Cel says, looking casually down at the counter, tracing shapes on it with their finger.

“Tomorrow, why?” says Azu. There’s a rush in her chest. She can feel her heart beating faster.

“I was wondering if you wanted to check out the observation deck with me,” Cel says. “Maybe. If you’re interested.” 

“I’d love to,” says Azu, feeling herself blush. “When are you free?”

Cel’s mouth twists up into the smallest little excited smile. “Does 1400 hours work for you?”

“I’ll meet you at the observation deck at 1400 hours, then,” Azu says, suppressing the urge to bury her face in her hands.

“See you then,” Cel says, biting their lip.

The moment is broken by Grizzop impatiently but lovingly telling Cel to stop flirting and get back to work, which makes Cel flush but fills Azu’s chest with a pleased warmth. When Azu turns back to wave Cel goodbye, they wave back and tuck a stray piece of hair behind their ear.

1400 hours tomorrow, Azu thinks.

—

As soon as Azu rounds the bend in the corridor, Cel goes violently red.  
“Oh. Hi, Azu,” they say faintly. “You look really nice. You look… you look great, in fact. That’s a good outfit. Wow. Hello.”

Azu looks down: she’s wearing pink corduroys and a blousy white buttondown, unbuttoned one button further than she usually would. She’s inordinately pleased that Cel likes her outfit. 

It’s a little jarring to see Cel out of their barista’s apron, but in the best way possible. They’re wearing a neon green sweater and suspenders. The suspenders clash. It’s stupidly endearing. 

“You look lovely as well,” Azu says, and holds out a hand for Cel to take. 

Cel makes a delighted face at her like they’re not sure how they’re allowed to do this. They go pink again as they take her hand, and the two of them set off down the corridor together. Their hands swing back and forth in the space between them.

“You know,” says Cel, “I’m actually really smooth? Like generally I’m quite good at flirting. I don’t get flustered like this very often. You’re just special.”

Azu nearly runs into a wall. “You’re doing very well right now, though,” she says. It comes out a bit more high pitched and breathless than she’d expected, but that’s okay.

Cel laughs. “You think so?” They nudge her shoulder.

Azu stops them. They’re easily within sight of the doors to the actual observation deck now, and she’s not sure if it’s the fact that the artificial gravity— which is turned off in the observation deck— is wearing thin, or if it’s just being near Cel themself, but she feels light. She turns so they’re facing each other.

“I do,” she says, putting her hand on Cel’s face, stroking their cheek with her thumb. 

Cel’s eyes go very wide. “Thanks,” they say, even higher and breathier than Azu.

Azu laughs and lets her hand drop. She lifts up their linked fingers and points them both forwards. “I’ve not been to this part of the station before,” she says.

The flush on Cel’s face fades to just a soft pink under the freckles on their cheeks as they speak. Their footsteps quicken, too, just slightly. It’s easy to tell they’re excited. “It’s beautiful! I think it’s my favorite part of the station. Well, apart from the cafe. Do you like the stars? You’ll love it. There’s a view of the planet, too.” 

“That sounds lovely,” Azu says. 

“I know! Because it is! Oh, we’re here,” says Cel. They’ve reached the door. “Wait, do you have a problem with low gravity? Shit, should’ve thought of that before.” 

Azu shakes her head. “No, I should be fine. It is sweet of you to ask, though,” she says. 

Cel winks. “All right. Well, we’re here. Brace yourself!” 

They throw open the door, and in front of Azu is a wall of stars.

“Wow,” she breathes, tugging Cel forwards. Her feet leave the ground once she passes the threshold and the fake gravity turns off. 

The room isn’t huge, maybe a little smaller than average by station standards, but it’s plenty roomy for a space where the Z axis is also available. Three of the walls, the floor, and the ceiling are a standard station grey, with navigational handholds protruding at regular intervals. There are soft lights inset between these. The far wall is entirely reinforced porthole glass window, with a stunning view of space beyond. 

Cel’s not far behind her, floating up next to her with the ease of someone who knows exactly how to move in zero gee. It almost makes Azu self conscious, but she knows she’d had plenty of time in the shuttle over to adjust to that sort of movement. She’s not going to be as practiced as Cel; still, she isn’t going to make a fool of herself. 

Cel tugs on her hand. “Come look!” they say, pushing off the walls and grabbing the handles dangling from the ceiling to navigate to the best spot right in the front and center of the window-wall. “The glass is filtered so you can safely look at the star too, which is super cool. Just in case you wanted to.”

Azu follows, letting her body relax into a comfortable half curled-up half lying-down position beside Cel, facing the window. “It’s beautiful,” she says. It is: the stars are thick and bright, clear even through the filter on the window, and certainly clearer than they would have been back planetside, with a whole atmosphere in the way. 

The planet looks beautiful, too: swirls of white and green and blue, patches of bright color, swathes of soft desert. Azu lays her hand against the glass, and it covers an entire continent. 

She looks up. Cel is watching her with a soft expression on their face, open and pleased with themself. Azu lets her mouth curl up into a smile, lets her eyes smile too. Cel mirrors her, the blush high on their cheeks getting a little darker. 

“Hey,” says Cel. “Look at this. I’m gonna turn out the lights.” 

Azu watches as they reach up and poke a button on the ceiling. The soft lights on all the surfaces all extinguish, and they’re left with only starlight.

It’s dim, but in the silvery outlines, Azu can still see how Cel’s breath catches when they see Azu looking at them. It makes Azu’s breath catch, too, seeing the curve of Cel’s cheek, the way their lips part. 

Cel drifts back. They’re so close to Azu, now.

“It’s a big, beautiful universe out there,” they whisper.

“It is,” Azu says, and then her lips are on Cel’s lips and they’re kissing, and Cel’s hand is on her waist, and she’s cupping Cel’s face in her hands, and Cel is so soft, and they taste like mint like they brushed their teeth right before meeting Azu in the corridor, and they’re gentle and warm and it feels like there’s sparks cascading through her body. 

They break apart. It takes a minute for Cel’s pretty eyes to flutter open.

“Oh,” says Cel, breathless. 

“Yeah,” says Azu. She swoops in again and kisses Cel’s upper lip, then their lower lip, and then she’s giggling too hard to do it again. She can feel Cel smiling against her, feel Cel’s lips purse as they try to return the kiss but can’t stop smiling either. It feels so good. It feels right. 

They stop. 

“We should do that again,” says Cel. “I think we should do that again.” Azu really, really agrees.

It’s funny, but in a room that opens out into the universe right in front of her, all she really wants to look at is Cel. And Cel definitely hasn’t pulled their eyes away from Azu.

When they fall back together, it feels inevitable. 

—

(They leave the observation deck after an hour when someone else comes in and finds them, giggling all the way. Azu still feels weightless even after the artificial gravity has definitely been turned back on. “Same time next week?” says Cel, and Azu can’t think of anything better.)

**Author's Note:**

> wrote this all in one day xoxo also frankly would not have written it without the lolomg server so thank you everyone for that i love you all <3 ALSO thank you danny for being so patient and waiting for this while i texted u stuff from it!! i hope it was worth the wait!!! 
> 
> EDIT CANT BELIEVE I FORGOT TO PUT THIS I KNEW I WAS FORGETTING SOMETHING in my defense it was 2:30 am. THANK YOU ZEPHYR for the azu chocolate allergy headcanon!!!! 
> 
> you can find me on tumblr at @melody-pendras!


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